Quick answer: Driving in fog is much safer when your car is ready before the season starts. Check your low beams, wipers, washer fluid, demister, battery and tyres now. On the road, use low beams, never high beams, leave a far bigger gap, and slow down until you can stop within what you can see. If you cannot see the road at all, get off it.
Every winter, fog settles over Lahore and the plains of Punjab. In January 2026 the Motorway Police closed stretches of the M-2 from Thokar Niaz Baig and the M-11 from Lahore to Sambrial, along with sections of five other motorways. City roads usually stay open, so there the decision is yours. Our season-by-season car care guide covers filters and smog. This guide covers driving in fog only: what to fix, which lights to use, and what to do when the road disappears.
Key takeaways:
Fix the simple things first: low beams, brake lights, wipers, washer fluid and the demister.
High beams make fog worse. The Motorway Police tell drivers to avoid them completely.
Drive at a speed that lets you stop within the distance you can see clearly.
Hazard lights are for pulling over and stopping, not for driving along in fog.
Before any motorway trip in fog season, call 130 or check the Motorway Police updates.
Why driving in fog around Lahore catches people out
Fog is not a rare event here. News reports of motorway closures cluster in December and January, and nights and early mornings are the worst. In December 2025 the National Highways and Motorway Police issued a detailed fog advisory asking travellers to plan journeys between 10 am and 8 pm and to avoid unnecessary night travel.
Five weeks later, seven motorways had sections closed, including the M-2 from Thokar Niaz Baig to Chakri and the M-11 from Lahore to Sambrial. A closed motorway is at least a clear answer. The harder part of driving in fog is the road that stays open while visibility falls.
Fog also arrives in patches. The road can look clear for a kilometre and then go white in seconds. That sudden change is what catches people at speed, which is why the car has to be ready before you need it.
The car checks to make before fog season
None of these jobs is expensive. Most take a few minutes, and a dead bulb costs very little to replace.
Part | What to check | Why it matters in fog |
|---|---|---|
Low beams | Both work, lenses clear, aimed level | You see the road edge and others see you |
Tail and brake lights | All work, none cracked | The driver behind relies on them |
Fog lights, if fitted | Switch works, lamps light up | They help only when visibility is poor |
Wipers | Clean sweep, no streaks | Fog leaves a film of water on the glass |
Washer fluid | Full, jets aimed at the glass | Road grime smears badly when damp |
Demister and AC | Strong airflow on the windscreen | Misted glass inside is as bad as fog outside |
Battery | Tested if over two years old | Cold starts plus lights and fan load it heavily |
Tyres and brakes | Good tread, firm straight stop | Damp roads need all the grip you have |
Lights
Yellowed or cloudy headlight lenses scatter light and cut how far you can see. They can usually be polished clear. Replace a dead bulb straight away. If a past owner fitted very bright white bulbs, have the beam aimed properly, because badly aimed lights dazzle everyone coming towards you. A car electrician can sort out a switch or wiring fault that stops a lamp working.
Wipers and washer
The Motorway Police advisory names wipers specifically. Fine fog droplets build into a thin film, and worn rubber just smears it. Replace the blades if they streak or chatter, and keep the washer bottle full.
The demister and the inside of the glass
Misted glass is often the first problem on a cold morning. Aviva's guide to demisting a windscreen gives the method: use the heater and air conditioning together, and avoid the recirculation setting so fresh air comes in. If your AC does not work, open the windows slightly. Keep the inside of the glass clean too, because Aviva lists a clean, dry car among the best ways to stop mist forming.
Battery
Cold hits a battery twice. It reduces the power available, and fog season asks for lights, fan and wipers at the same time. Battery charger maker CTEK says a fully charged battery has about 66% of its power available to crank the engine at 9°C. If yours is over two years old, get it tested now. Our guides explain battery replacement at home and what to do if your car will not start.
Tyres and brakes
Fog usually means a damp road, and worn tyres give up grip early. Look at the tread-wear bars in the grooves, and replace a tyre once the tread is level with them. Check the pressures while the tyres are cold. If the brake pedal feels soft or the car pulls to one side, get a brake check before the first foggy week.
Tip: Ask someone to stand behind the car while you press the brake pedal and switch on the indicators. A dead brake light is the one fault you can never see from the driver's seat, and it is the light the car behind needs most in fog.
Which lights to use when driving in fog
This is where most drivers go wrong. A high beam points up and far ahead, so it hits the fog and reflects straight back into your eyes. The road gets harder to see, not easier. The Motorway Police tell drivers to strictly avoid high beams in fog, and the US National Weather Service fog driving advice says the same.
Light | In fog? | Note |
|---|---|---|
Low beam | Yes, always | Your tail lights come on with them |
High beam | Never | Glare comes straight back at you |
Front fog lights | Yes, in poor visibility | Switch off when the fog clears |
Rear fog light | Only in thick fog | It can hide your brake lights from the car behind |
Hazard lights | Only when pulling over or stopped | They hide your indicators while you move |
How thick is thick? The UK Highway Code uses a simple yardstick: visibility is seriously reduced when you cannot see for more than about 100 metres. That is a UK rule, not a Pakistani one, but it is a useful test on any road.
Do not rely on daytime running lights when driving in fog. On many cars they light only the front, so you can be nearly invisible from behind. Switch your low beams on yourself.
Driving in fog: speed, gap and lane
Good habits matter more here than any accessory. Safe driving in fog comes down to a few simple rules.
Slow down early
Check your mirrors first, then brake gently before you enter a fog bank. Your speed is right only if you can stop well within the distance you can see clearly. If you can see 30 metres, the question is simple: can you stop in less than 30 metres?
Leave a much bigger gap
The Motorway Police ask for more distance than usual. The Highway Code suggests at least a two-second gap on fast roads, doubled on wet ones. Our advice is to treat four seconds as the minimum when driving in fog. The Highway Code also warns that the tail lights ahead can give a false sense of security. Clinging to them means you may hit whatever they hit.
Hold your lane with the road markings
Follow the white lines and the road edge with your eyes. Do not overtake unless you truly must. If someone is close behind you, do not speed up to escape them. Let them pass when it is safe.
At junctions, stop and listen
At a junction with poor visibility, stop in the right place, open your window a little and listen for traffic. Then go when you are sure it is safe, and do not hesitate halfway across.
Motorway and GT Road trips in fog season
Long trips need planning, because hours of driving in fog are tiring. Before you leave for Islamabad, Faisalabad or Multan, do these things:
Call the Motorway Police helpline on 130 and ask about your route, or tune to FM 95.
Follow the Motorway Police updates for closures.
Try to travel between 10 am and 8 pm, as the advisory asks.
Fill up, charge your phone and pack water and a warm layer.
Tell someone your route and your expected arrival time.
If a motorway section is closed, wait for it to open. Do not assume a slower road is a safer way round. Older roads can have slow traffic, faint markings and little room to pull over.
Watch for trolleys and parked trucks
In October 2026, Punjab Traffic Police ordered commercial vehicles, loaders and tractor-trolleys to display reflective tapes. The same order bars heavy vehicles from parking on carriageways or shoulders in fog-affected areas. An order does not mean every trolley complies. When driving in fog on GT Road or any highway, expect an unlit vehicle ahead and leave room to react.
If you cannot see the road at all
Sometimes the only safe choice is to stop. Do not stop in a live lane. The National Weather Service gives these steps for near-zero visibility:
Turn on your hazard lights.
Pull into a safe place, such as a fuel station or a parking area.
If there is nowhere to go, pull as far off the road as you can.
Once stopped, turn off every light except the hazards.
Set the handbrake and take your foot off the brake pedal, so your brake lights do not draw another driver into you.
Wait until you can see properly again.
For a road emergency in Punjab, call Rescue 1122. On a motorway, call 130. If the car has broken down in the city, Carbid's mobile car workshop reaches you anywhere in Lahore, around the clock. The vans carry batteries, bulbs and wipers, and the call-out is Rs 3,000.
Buying a used car this winter? Add these fog checks
Winter is a good time to test a used car, because a cold morning shows up things a sunny viewing hides. If you are looking at a car this season, add these to your list:
Do both headlights give the same clean beam, or is one lens yellow and dim?
Does the windscreen clear quickly with the blower and AC on?
Do the wipers sweep cleanly, and does the washer spray?
Is the battery fresh, and does the car start easily on a cold morning?
Do all the tyres have good tread and even wear?
Our guide to used car inspection in Lahore explains the full check, and how to buy a used car in Lahore covers the whole process. On Carbid, inspected cars usually carry a 135-point report from our own team, published on the listing. Anything not inspected says so plainly.
Frequently asked questions
Q1. Should I use hazard lights when driving in fog?
A1. Not while you are moving. They hide your indicators, so nobody can see you change lane. Use them only when you are pulling off the road in near-zero visibility, or have stopped.
Q2. Are high beams ever useful when driving in fog?
A2. No. The light reflects back at you and cuts what you can see. Keep to low beams.
Q3. Do I need fog lights?
A3. They help in thick fog, but they are not essential. Working low beams, tail lights, wipers and a clear windscreen matter far more. If your car has fog lights, switch them off when the air clears.
Q4. When is fog worst around Lahore?
A4. Motorway closures are reported most often in December and January, and nights and early mornings are the worst. Plan long trips for the daytime.
Q5. Why does my windscreen mist up on the inside?
A5. Warm, damp air from the cabin condenses on cold glass. Run the heater and AC together, turn recirculation off, and keep the glass clean.
Q6. Who do I call for motorway information?
A6. Call the Motorway Police helpline on 130 before you set off. The advisory also points drivers to FM 95 for updates.
Looking for a car that is ready for winter? Browse inspected cars on Carbid or join a live auction, and read how Carbid works. Call or WhatsApp us on 0306 6468980.